Numbers 16:35

And fire came forth from the LORD and consumed the 250 men who were offering the incense.

Berean Standard Bible

Study note

Setting — The narrative records a divine judgment moment immediately after the earth swallows Korah’s faction, while the surrounding Israelites flee in terror. The passage functions as a descriptive statement of God’s action within the rebellion account, with no human speaker addressed.

The words — The Hebrew verb יָצְאָה (yāṣəʾâ) literally means "it came forth," identifying the fire's origin, while וַתּאכַל (waṯṭōʾḵāl) means "and it consumed," specifying the fire's action against the 250 men. These verbs structure the event as an immediate, unmediated execution of judgment.

The thread — This pattern of unprovoked divine fire consuming rebels recurs in Leviticus 10:2 during the Nadab and Abihu incident, and is explicitly recalled in Numbers 26:10 and Psalm 106:18 as a historical marker of God's response to unauthorized worship.

Why it lands — The text establishes that presumptuous religious action triggers direct divine intervention rather than human debate or delay. It requires the reader to acknowledge the absolute boundary between authorized service and self-willed presumption.

Drafted by a language model from the text, its original words and its cross-references, then checked against them. It can still be wrong: open the verse in the app to report it.

The Hebrew words

וְאֵ֥שׁve./'Eshand/ fire יָצְאָ֖הya.tze.'Ahit came forth מֵאֵ֣תme./'Etfrom/ with יְהוָ֑הYah.wehYahweh וַתֹּ֗אכַלva./To.khaland/ it consumed אֵ֣ת'et<obj.>הַחֲמִשִּׁ֤יםha./cha.mi.Shimthe/ fifty וּמָאתַ֙יִם֙u./ma.Ta.yimand/ two hundred אִ֔ישׁ'Ishman מַקְרִיבֵ֖יmak.ri.Vei[who] were bringing near הַקְּטֹֽרֶת׃ פha./ke.To.ret<of> the/ incense

King James Version

And there came out a fire from the Lord, and consumed the two hundred and fifty men that offered incense.

Cross-references

Leviticus 10:2 So fire came out from the presence of the LORD and consumed them, and they died in the presence of the LORD.
Numbers 26:10 And the earth opened its mouth and swallowed them along with Korah, whose followers died when the fire consumed 250 men. They serve as a warning sign.
Psalms 106:18 Then fire blazed through their company; flames consumed the wicked.
Numbers 11:1 Soon the people began to complain about their hardship in the hearing of the LORD, and when He heard them, His anger was kindled, and fire from the LORD blazed among them and consumed the outskirts of the camp.
Numbers 16:2 a rebellion against Moses, along with 250 men of Israel renowned as leaders of the congregation and representatives in the assembly.
Numbers 16:17 Each man is to take his censer, place incense in it, and present it before the LORD—250 censers. You and Aaron are to present your censers as well.”